Figure 2. Research quality in core facilities: important factors, challenges and the current situation.

(A) Facilities were asked for the most important factors for achieving research quality (in blue) and the aspects that need to be improved in their facility (in red; open-field question). (B) Challenges faced by core facilities, grouped in three categories (financial, technical and personal/interpersonal). The category “career progression” includes “permanent positions” and “motivation”. (C) Facilities were asked if they agree or not that samples/experiments are replicated at their facility. Facilities were asked to rank on a 5-point scale whether they know what controls are included in experiments (D), and whether users are allowed to proceed with samples of poor quality (E). Facilities were also asked whether they have a quality control for data analysis (F) and, if not, how important such control would be. (G) Facilities were also asked if their involvement in manuscript preparation would improve the quality of published data.

Figure 2—figure supplement 1. Proportion of core facilities having sufficient funding and number of staff.